JPH0777132B2 - Fuel cell power generator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a small-sized fuel cell power generation device that is incorporated in a single chamber together with a fuel cell and auxiliary devices attached to a fuel reformer.

[Prior art]

Fuel cell power generators generally generate heat from various locations. For example, the reaction temperature of a phosphoric acid fuel cell in which a phosphoric acid solution is used as an electrolyte and hydrogen and oxygen are reacted to generate power is about
200 ° C. and its outer surface extends to about 180 ° C. Also, in a fuel reformer that converts a liquid fuel such as methanol into a hydrogen-rich reformed gas by combustion heating, the outer surface of the fuel reformer may reach 300 ° C. or higher due to combustion heat. In addition to this, there is a burner for start-up as a device that generates heat. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3 or 4, in a small-sized fuel cell power generator, a high temperature heating element such as the fuel cell 1 or the fuel reformer 2, a fuel supply pump 3 and a fuel tank 4, An air blower 5 for supplying reaction air to the fuel cell 1, an air blower 6 for supplying combustion air to the fuel reformer 2, an electric device 7 for control, and the like are incorporated in the same power generator chamber 8. However, when these auxiliary machines and electric devices are exposed to high temperatures, problems such as seizure of the motor, vaporization and expansion of fuel, and failure of electric parts occur. Therefore, the ventilation fan 9 is provided (Fig. 3), the heating element 1,
2 and other equipment are separated by a heat insulating wall 10, and a heat insulating space is provided by separating each equipment to some extent, and cooling by natural convection is promoted (Fig. 4).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, such a conventional configuration does not sufficiently protect the equipment in the power generator room from a high temperature obstacle, wastes heat of the power generator, and increases the internal space of the power generator. This was a loss of the features of the fuel cell power generator, which had a space in front of it. Therefore, the present invention cools the interior of the power generator chamber with outside air, while introducing this air used for cooling into the fuel cell power generator to prevent failures of auxiliary machinery and electric parts and to improve efficiency. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel cell power generator that saves space.

[Means for solving problems]

The invention is a fuel reformer that burns fuel with combustion air supplied from an air blower to heat a liquid fuel and converts the liquid fuel into a hydrogen-rich reformed gas, and a reaction supplied from the air blower. A fuel cell for generating electric power by reacting working air with the reformed gas supplied from the fuel reformer, and these fuel reformer and fuel cell together with auxiliary machinery and electric parts In a fuel cell power generator installed in the same power generator room, an intake port of an air blower for supplying air to a fuel cell or a fuel reformer is provided in the power generator room, and an outside air intake is provided in a part of the power generator room. Shall be provided. In the above power generator, an air duct that covers the outside of the fuel reformer is provided, one end of this air duct is connected to the intake port of the air blower, and the other end is opened into the power generator chamber, so that the fuel reformer is opened. It is effective for intensive cooling.

[Action]

According to the present invention, the outside air is supplied to the fuel cell or the fuel reformer after passing through the inner space of the power generator chamber, so that the auxiliary equipment and electric parts in the power generator chamber are cooled by fresh outside air to be overheated. In addition to preventing the above, the heated air after cooling can be taken into the fuel cell or the fuel reformer for effective use. In that case, if the outside of the fuel reformer is covered with an air duct and the air inside the power generator chamber is sucked by an air blower through this air duct, the air that passes through the air duct will pass through the fuel reformer that has the highest temperature. Effective cooling is possible.

【Example】

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Incidentally, the same parts as those of the conventional one are designated by the same reference numerals to simplify the description. In FIG. 1, the intake port 5a of the air blower 5 that supplies the reaction air to the fuel cell 1 and the intake port 6a of the air blower 6 that supplies the combustion air to the fuel reformer 2 are both in the power generator chamber 8
It is provided inside. Further, in the power generator chamber 8, auxiliary devices such as the fuel supply pump 3 and the fuel tank 4 and the control electric device 7 are also incorporated. On the other hand, an outside air intake 11 is provided on the lower outer wall of the power generator chamber 8. In such a fuel cell power generator, the fuel reformer 2 is a liquid fuel (such as methanol) introduced from the fuel tank 4.
Is burned by a burner (not shown) by the air supplied from the air blower 6 to raise the temperature of the reforming catalyst contained therein, and the vaporized liquid fuel is brought into contact with this reforming catalyst to cause hydrogen-rich by steam reforming. Change to reformed gas. On the other hand, the fuel cell 1 reacts the reformed gas supplied from the fuel reformer 2 with the air supplied from the air blower 5 to generate electricity. The fuel reformer 2 burns unreacted reformed gas discharged from the fuel cell 1 by the burner except when it is started. Here, the air blowers 5 and 6 suck the air in the power generator chamber 8, and accordingly, the outside air flows into the power generator chamber 8 from the outside air intake 11, and this outside air is the fuel supply pump 3 and the fuel. After the tank 4 and the electric device 7 are washed and cooled, they are sucked into the air blowers 5 and 6. Therefore, even if these auxiliary machines and electric parts are incorporated in the same chamber as the high temperature fuel cell 1 and the fuel reformer 2, they are always cooled by the low temperature outside air and are not exposed to the high temperature. On the contrary, since the fuel cell 1 and the fuel reformer 2 are supplied with the air that has been preheated through the power generator chamber 8, as compared with the case where the low temperature outside air is supplied as it is, The characteristics are improved such that the temperature distribution on the electrode surface becomes more uniform, and the thermal efficiency of the fuel reformer 2 is also improved. FIG. 2 shows another embodiment, in which an air duct 12 covering the outside of the fuel reformer 2 is provided. This air duct
The upper end of 12 is connected to the air blowers 5 and 6, and the lower end opens into the power generator chamber 8. With such a configuration, the fuel reformer 2 can be washed away with the air passing through the air duct 12, and the fuel reformer 2 having the highest temperature can be cooled intensively.

【The invention's effect】

According to the present invention, an intake port of an air blower for supplying air to a fuel cell or a fuel reformer is provided in the power generation device chamber, and an outside air intake port is provided in a part of the power generation device chamber so that the taken in outside air is supplied to the power generation device chamber. Since it is configured to supply the fuel cell or fuel reformer after passing through it, it is possible to cool auxiliary equipment and electrical parts inside the generator set room with inflowing outside air without installing a special ventilation fan to overheat them. Can be protected from obstacles. Further, the high temperature air that has absorbed the heat flowing out from the fuel cell or the fuel reformer can be effectively used to improve the characteristics of the fuel cell and improve the thermal efficiency of the fuel reformer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a fuel cell power generator showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a fuel cell power generator showing another embodiment of the present invention. 3 and 4 are simplified cross-sectional views of a fuel cell power generator having a conventional configuration. 1: Fuel cell, 2: Fuel reformer, 5, 6: Air blower, 5a, 6b: Intake port, 8: Power generator room, 11: Outside air intake, 12: Air duct.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fuel reformer which burns fuel with combustion air supplied from an air blower to heat a liquid fuel and converts the liquid fuel into a hydrogen-rich reformed gas, and an air blower. A fuel cell for generating electricity by reacting the reaction air with the reformed gas supplied from the fuel reformer, and these fuel reformer and fuel cell together with auxiliary machinery and electrical parts In a fuel cell power generator installed in the same power generator room, an intake port of an air blower for supplying air to the fuel cell or the fuel reformer is provided in the power generator room, and the outside air is taken into a part of the power generator room. A fuel cell power generator having an inlet. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein an air duct covering the outside of the fuel reformer is provided, one end of this air duct is connected to an intake port of an air blower, and the other end is connected to a power generator. A fuel cell power generator opened indoors.